


The Air Up There

by in_a_blog_in_the_ground



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Airships, Gen, Post-BOFA, everybody's alive!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-08
Updated: 2013-10-14
Packaged: 2017-12-18 01:44:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/874265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/in_a_blog_in_the_ground/pseuds/in_a_blog_in_the_ground
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dwarves. Airships. What can go wrong?</p><p>Post Battle of Five Armies AU where everybody lives! In the beginning anyway...no promises. Not sure where this story is going yet..? We'll see. It'll be an adventure!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

_The Battle of Five Armies is over. The Lonely Mountain is once again in the rightful hands of the dwarves. Thorin Oakenshield sits upon the throne of Erebor; his nephews Fili and Kili, Sons of Dis, hale by his side._

_Dwarves from all over Middle Earth are returning home. The halls once again echo with the crash of hammers, the roar of the forges. They will rebuild stronger than ever._

_A year passes. Most of the Mountain has been restored, with work continuing every day. Despite the resilience of his people, Thorin remains uneasy. They were taken by surprise all those years ago, the only warning a burning wind from the North. Never again._

_He proposes an ambitious plan._

_Instead of scoffs, he is met with a contemplative silence; then the room explodes as the Company begins to yell out ideas. Ori is hard-pressed to keep up with his notes._

_Thorin sits back, pleased and encouraged. He begins to think this could work…_

_Three  years have passed._

_It is a fine spring morning…_

-

It is done.

Thorin cannot believe it. He stands, hands on hips, gazing up at the most ambitious project ever attempted in the history of Middle Earth.

Fili and Kili see him and rush up. They are beside themselves with excitement. Today, all their hard work will be rewarded.


	2. A Ship That Sails On Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin's ambitious plan

For the past few years, the dwarves of Erebor have been planning, designing, re-designing, and building a ship that sails on air.

When Thorin first proposed the idea, the Company had immediately considered it a possibility, and began coming up with propositions of their own after mere moments of contemplation.

Though initially surprised at the enthusiastic reaction when he had been preparing for incredulity at best, Thorin quickly realized he should have expected nothing less from the bravest Company in Middle Earth. Not for nothing did they trek across half the map to roust a dragon and take back their Mountain. It was theirs, and they were damned if they would allow anything to take it from them again.

Bombur and Ori left that first meeting, heads together, almost tripping over each other in their excitement, ideas flowing out in a direction they had never thought conceivable before. They ended up ensconced in Bombur’s dining hall, his massive table slowly being covered by paper and the remnants of the snacks he said he required to be constantly supplied to fuel creativity.

The others would drop by to offer their ideas and suggestions, all of which were taken into consideration; even Fili and Kili’s hastily scribbled submission of a bull-headed, dragon-winged monstrosity studded with spikes and spitting fire they insisted could be powered by a single strong dwarf rowing a pair of enormous paddles.

Ori listened patiently to their animated explanation of their idea, and, because he loved his friends, nodded kindly and waited until they had left to quietly slide their drawing to the bottom of the pile.

Within a few weeks, Bombur and Ori had produced several diagrams detailing models they were reasonably sure could work. The drawings were eagerly passed around and perused by the Company.

Bifur and Bofur took the designs and, sequestered in their workshop, came back within the month with cleverly built scale models based off the schematics.

Some were…rather horrific failures, but to everyone’s shock and exhilaration, a few actually seemed to do well! Their designs were brought back together, and with some re-working, Bombur and Ori drew a final layout that incorporated the most successful elements of each. The very next day, Bifur and Bofur produced a working model. It soared, and so did their hearts.

With their dream looking set to become a functional reality, Balin put together a folder of paperwork detailing their estimated timeline, proposed budget, numerous and sundry other details, and of course, the schematics for the final product.

Dwalin and Gloin set out to recruit builders from the many dwarves occupying Erebor and the surrounding valley, hand-selecting those most able to contribute to the project. Before long, word gets out, and they are soon entertaining long lines of dwarves eager to prove their skill and worth.

Before they know it, construction is ready to begin.

For this first flying machine, they have agreed to start small; a light carriage shaped like the hull of a ship only large enough to fit a single pilot. It will be suspended below an airtight skin that will be inflated by a buoyant gas expelled from deep vents within the Mountain, and stabilized by various maneuverable fins protruding from the sides and tail-end, also to be used for steering. A spinning fan attached to the back and powered by a foot-pedal will provide for some directionability and propulsion. When it comes time to land, the gas from the skin will be released by a controlled valve, and a pair of skids can be pressed out from the sides of the hull to catch the ship and slide it to a halt.

All the builders are fully briefed, and work commences.

Dori proves to be an able foreman with a good instinct for organization and labor allocation. He assigns other members of the Company to various posts to provide direction and guidance for the workers.

Though injuries are few, those that do inevitably occur are treated with great efficiency at Oin’s medical station.

Throughout construction, special touches added by the Company can be seen: the bow carved into a proud eagle by the Broadbeams; Thorin, Dwalin, and Gloin working together to forge the keel that will keep the ship upright; Ori’s careful script on the prow when the name was at last painted on, the day before launch.

After many months of labor, the final product is complete.

All they needed now was a pilot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Fili. Oh Kili. What the hell even.
> 
> Also, I had read somewhere that movie!verse Bombur is actually supposed to be the Company's architect, which is why he was invited along. Soo, thought I, surely he would have the technical expertise to discern what designs might or might not work. Since dwarves are naturally opposed to water and thus boats (see: Gimli bemoaning the method with which they leave Lothlorien), he's probably the closest to a shipwright of sorts that they have...More to him than just a cook, aha!


	3. Questionable Life Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pilot volunteers

The pilot was in bed, face buried into a pillow, covers pulled up over his mess of hair.

‘Hiding’ would be a more accurate description of what was actually going on, but don’t let him hear it, if you value your teeth.

He had only slept for a few hours, but since then he had lain awake, restless, and contemplating his life decisions.

 _Wot was I thinking?_ Nori groaned inwardly, for not the first time. _Wot was I THINKING._

-

When Thorin had called that first fateful meeting those many months ago, Nori had almost blown it off. He would have, indeed, if not for the urgings of Ori.

Reluctantly being led by the sleeve, Nori followed his little brother to the Council chamber. The others were already gathered; Dori shot him a reprimanding look which he promptly ignored.

Thorin always had a penchant for speeches that had long lead-ups to get to the actual point, so Nori amused himself by sketching nonsense drawings on the edges of Ori’s notes. Ori was so caught up in the proceedings, he barely noticed, only swatting at Nori’s hand once or twice, and feverishly scribbling away otherwise, hard-pressed to keep up with the rush of voices that had suddenly erupted after a brief moment of silence.

Having been adding gory details to his picture of a giant spider being disemboweled at the time, Nori had missed what Thorin had said, but apparently it was interesting enough to get all the others excited and shouting over each other in their rush to have their ideas be heard. Nori turned his attention back to the situation at hand, picking out voices from the clamor.

“…and it should have spikes ( _massive spikes!_ ), yes, massive spikes! All over! And shoot ballista bolts ( _on fire!_ ), yes, yes, shoot fiery ballista bolts at things!” That would be the princes.

“…intended only for reconnaissance at this time, young masters…” Balin, always the voice of reason.

“…future application in times of war…defense, of course…” Dwalin, always thinking ahead.

Next to Nori, the Broadbeam cousins were already working out designs, speaking quickly to each other in a mixture of Westron and Khuzdul. Nori looked over Bofur’s shoulder, watching as he sketched out what looked like…a ship with wings?

At the other end of the table, he vaguely heard Gloin say to Thorin, “We’ll need tae find someone mad enough tae fly it, though…”

And a voice said, “I’ll do it.”

With some astonishment, Nori realized too late as the room went silent, and all faces turned to his with a range of expression varying from shock to worry to awe, that that voice had been his own.

“You will? You really will?” Ori was looking at him with such boyish admiration that Nori was a bit thrown, and spoke with a confidence he did not have, tongue away and running before his mind could catch up and tackle it to a halt.

“Er. Yeh. Yes. I mean, ‘ow ‘ard ken it be? A ship wot flies. Nuffin’ t’run into up there in the air, ‘ow bad could it be, eh?” Speaking in a rush, Nori suddenly found he wanted to get out of that room as quickly as possible. “Right. Now that’s settled. I’ve uh. I’ve got. Fings. Fings ta…” Gesturing vaguely over his shoulder, Nori stood and made for the door at a pace just shy of outright sprinting.

When the door had slammed shut behind him, the rest of the Company looked around at each other, temporarily stunned into silence by Nori’s declaration.

Dori was the first to speak. “Well. I can’t say I’m ever so surprised he would volunteer. My brother always has been a strange one…”

“I think he’s brave!” Ori was quick to come to Nori’s defense.

“There’s no doubt about that, laddie,” Balin said. “Though it worries me a bit he dinnae even pause tae think…”

“What’s there tae worry abou’?” Dwalin scoffed. “Mahal knows Nori’s always known his own mind, even if no one else does, heh.”

“He could die.” Gloin, ever blunt.

Some of the others turned disapproving eyes toward him, Kili even opening his mouth to protest before being halted by Thorin, though the king was also giving Gloin an ominous glower. As Gloin continued, undeterred, Oin listened to his brother with professional interest.

“What? ‘Tis true. Nothin’ like this has never been done before, Ah mean, a ship that sails through the air instead of water? No offense, Thorin, but if we ever manage tae get it tae work, it’ll be a bloody miracle! The chances of it crashing and burning, wit’ our thief inside if he insists on goin’ through wit’ his word, are highly more probable.”

“We’ll make it work,” Bofur said with his usual confidence, leaning back with his pipe between his teeth. “Can’t let our matey perish ‘orribly, now can we? Mad bugger though he is.”

“This must work,” Thorin said, speaking up for the first time since he laid out his idea to them. “Our continued security depends on it. We cannot- we will not be taken unawares by any force ever again. This is our Mountain, this is our home. I do not need to remind any of you of its cost, its value to our people. This must work.”

The Company greeted his solemn words with grave nods, focused on the task at hand once more.

With that, Thorin declared the meeting closed, and thanked them for their attendance.

-

When he left the meeting, Nori walked alone around the Mountain for a very long time, thinking. He had always been a somewhat unusual dwarf, as Dori had said; never quite at home underground, or settled into one place for too long. Boats posed no greater discomfort to him than horses did, and he had ridden on both before in his lifetime, something few dwarves could claim. When the Great Eagles had saved them from the wargs and the cliff, and after he had been reassured of his brothers’ survival, he realized he had found the sensation of flight exhilarating, and secretly longed to fly again. 

After they had re-taken Erebor, Nori felt strange. He found he did not have the urge to roam. He felt _settled_ , and it was this very feeling that unsettled him. A blanket of peaceful complacency had fallen over him, and he _did not like it._

Perhaps this is why he agreed to fly an experimental ship. Perhaps he so wished to see the world laid out before him again, he volunteered himself without thinking to do something so dangerous. Perhaps he so desired to breathe the air up there he was willing to risk never breathing again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nori. Nori Nori. Whatareyoudoing.


	4. Revelry and Reversals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple of drunken pals celebrating before the big day...along with the rest of the Mountain...and the surrounding countryside...and Dale...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it is not already painfully evident, I am really really bad with chapter titles. I am. So sorry.

After that first day, Nori got himself under control and decided to just sail with the tide, as the Men of Laketown used to say. He had committed to flying the thing, but they had to make it first, so he would just see how that went.  

In the months leading up to the completion of the ‘airship’, as Balin was starting to call it, Nori had not contributed much to the progress, finding he had nothing to add that others hadn’t already. The only input he had given was a suggestion for the name.

 _North Star_ , he had said, mumbling that the brightest star in the northern sky was how one could navigate if traveling at night.

He had watched as Ori jotted it down on the long list of potential names for the ship, and thinking nothing more of it, wandered off to attend to his own business.

The calm he had so carefully cultivated for himself crumpled the night before the ship was to be publically revealed.

-

A feast had been thrown by Thorin in celebration of the airship’s completion, and all of Erebor and the surrounding countryside, including the city of Dale, had been invited. Above them, in the Great Hall, sounds of carousing echoed off the walls.

 Nori and Dwalin had gone to the room where the ship was suspended during its construction, called a ‘hanger’ by Balin, full tankards in hand, and more than a little drunk already.

The room was dark, the ship half covered with a tarp, when they stumbled in, guffawing with arms thrown over each other until Nori bumped into a workbench and tripped over it, flopping to the ground, his tankard spilling into the sawdust.

“Awww nooo, Dwalin, me mug tipped, gimme somma yourn…Oy, shutit!”

Dwalin was doubled over, one hand braced on a knee, and laughing so hard his own mug was in danger of spilling. It finally did when Nori clumsily tackled him and the two rolled around the empty workshop, drunkenly trying to pummel each other and missing more often than not. They finally caught up alongside one of the ship’s support beams, causing the whole thing to shift and groan. Scrambling hurriedly backwards in a crab-like scuttle, they stared wide-eyed at the contraption until it quieted.

“Aha. We should…stay over here,” Dwalin finally gulped.

“Aye,” Nori agreed, blinking.

Both sadly bereft of their beverages now, they sat quietly against a wall looking at the airship for a moment while their heads stopped spinning quiet so much.

“So. Tomorrow, eh?” Dwalin said softly.

“Tomorrow.” Nori nodded.

“They’ve told ye how it works? How tae steer an’ land an’ such?”

“Aye. Bof’ took me ‘round earlier. Seems simple enough.” Nori vaguely motioned moving levers and pedals with his arms and feet.

“Heh, Ah couldn’t do it,” Dwalin said with a little smile. “Ye ready then?”

“O’cour-,” the word suddenly caught in Nori’s throat. Something he’d been trying to keep under control since that first day popped in the space between his ears. He swallowed hard and croaked out, “-‘course. Yeh. Why-why wouldn’t I be? Nuffin’ to it…”

“Yull be great,” Dwalin slapped Nori on the back, a wee bit harder than he probably intended. A wide, proud grin was plastered on his face, glowing red with drink. “Yer -hic- yer the best dwarf fer this job, ye know that? Ah know yull…yull be great…”

Still beaming, Dwalin put a hand on Nori’s shoulder and, with some difficulty, used him to lever himself to his feet, not registering the soft grunt of discomfort his friend let out as almost the warrior’s full weight pressed down onto him. Bending back over, he grabbed Nori by the collars of his coat, an expensive, beautiful piece made of crushed velvet and supple leather embroidered with intricate geometric patterns Dori forced him to wear to state occasions, and hauled him to his feet as well. A bit breathless, Nori stumbled after the unexpected assistance, grabbing the wall for support.

“Heh, can’t hold yer liquor, can ye? Hic! Ahaha!” Chuckling, Dwalin threw an arm around Nori’s neck and steered them towards the workshop entrance. “Le’ss go, le’ss go get ye sum more!”

“Actually, mate,” Nori said, gently ducking out, “I fink I’ve ‘ad enough. I best get ‘ome now, I reckon, big day tomorrah, eh?”

“Yer right, yer right.” Dwalin stopped in front of Nori and brought both hands up to his friend’s face. “Nori. Yer one’a mah best mates. Yer one’a the bravest dwarves Ah know, despite yer bein’ a little shite sumtimes. People are goin’a write songs about ye a’ter tomorrow. Ah’m proud t’know ye.”

Dwalin pulled Nori in for a crushing hug, then released him, pushing him in the general direction of the underground city.

“Heh. Fanks. I’m…proud t’know ye too,” Nori said awkwardly. Dwalin always did get quite demonstrative after a few ales. Nori also felt a bit ashamed…he was feeling far from brave at the moment. Quite the opposite…

Waving, Nori watched Dwalin stumble back to the main hall before turning to the darkened streets, stumbling more than a bit himself. Almost all the dwarves were still out reveling, but there was one he was reasonably sure was at home. He’s sure he would have seen her if she had been there…


	5. Encouragement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody needs a boost, now and again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing Myka! I had started writing a story for her ages ago, to counterbalance the extreme lack of female characters o.O but I forgot I never posted it, oops. This was meant to be a bit of a cross-over chapter XD Uuuuh, I'll post her story one of these days, when I get it more together. Long story short, she's from the Grey Mountains, fought in the Battle of Five Armies, set up her own jewelry shop/foundry where she makes her own pieces after settling in Erebor, met the members of the Company through this and that circumstance, and her life occasionally overlaps theirs.

Myka, daughter of Vaya, was indeed at home. Though she had been at the celebration earlier in the evening, she had returned home early after visiting with some friends, and sharing a toast or three. It had been a long day at the forges, and looked to be a longer one in the workshop tomorrow, setting gems in the fittings she had made earlier.

She looked up from her sketches of some new designs when there was a knock at the door.

Thinking it odd, as all her neighbors were still at the feast, she opened the door with sword in hand to find Nori, leaning back on the railing guarding the edge of the path from a fall to the level below.

“Hullo, Myka. Yer…yer lookin’ loverly tonigh’,” Nori tried to smile, pushing himself off the rail with an effort, clearly inebriated. But something seemed different about him tonight; normally he would be cheerful after a few pints…

“Nori? What are y’doin’ here? I didn’t know y’were comin’,” Myka said, lowering the sword, but not moving from the doorway.

“Yesss, sorry,” Nori looked genuinely abashed, “I didn’t know I were comin’ either. Woulda asked earlier…but uh. I was wonderin’ if ye’d like some company tonigh’?” He had reached the door, but made no move to enter, only putting his hands to either side of the doorframe to support himself, head lolling down after he finished speaking.

Myka sighed and relented, putting the sword back on its rack and moving aside. “Well, I wasn’t plannin’ on it, but it looks like you could use some.”

“Fanks, Myka, fanks, really,” Nori staggered in, nearly tripping on the threshold. He made his way to the back of her apartments, and paused before the closed door of her bedroom.

“Ken I jus’…? Myka, I’m so tired…”

Worried now, but trying not to show it, Myka opened the door and guided him in, standing in front of him to help undo the buttons and buckles of his belt and overcoat. Still mostly clothed, Nori kicked off his boots, collapsed gratefully into her bed and was asleep, curled in towards the wall, before she had even time to throw his things over a chair.

She had seen him drunk before, but never like this. Myka knew the next day was to be the first flight of the airship, and he had told her in confidence that he was going to be the one to pilot it. Was that what this was all about? Though it was obviously a dangerous task, from what she knew of him, danger was not something that had ever stopped him before. So why was he here then, curled in her bed, when he should have been sleeping ages ago in his own? She supposed she would just have to find out in the morning.

Going back to the lit common room where she had been working, Myka stored away her drawings and snuffed the candle. Returning to the bedroom, she changed and slid into bed. With practical concern she laid an ear against Nori’s ribs to make sure he was breathing smoothly before rolling over and falling asleep herself, back to back with her sometime lover.

-

When Nori awoke, he knew it was still many hours til sunrise, though they were deep inside the Mountain. He felt the warmth of Myka against him and longed to turn over and hold her, but did not want to disturb her rest.

Instead he lay in the darkness, unable to fall back asleep, mind whirring.

He remained that way until morning, when he felt Myka stir, stretching lazily in the bed beside him. Pretending to still be asleep, he did not move when she slid out from under the covers. When she returned, she sat on the edge of the bed, and he could feel her eyes boring holes into the back of his head.

She came back under the covers behind him, and wrapped an arm around his stomach.

“Nori. I know you’re awake. Turn around.”

With no other choice, he did as he was bid, and lay there, head turned towards her on the pillow.

Myka watched him with worry in her eyes.

“What is goin’ on with you? Why aren’t y’at home, gettin’ ready? Today’s the flight, isn’t it?”

“Aye.”

“Ye can’t be scared…’m not sure ye properly know what that means. So what is it?”

“Heh, I’ve been scared before…but no, not about this. I’m… bovvered.”

“Well, that’s understandable, it’s something that’s never been done before-”

“No, it’s not that…It’s…Myka,” he said, rolling to his side to face her fully, “I told ye about the eagles? ‘ow they saved us? I didn’t even realize what ‘ad ‘appened at first, I just thought my brothers were dead and I was alone, truly alone. But then the feelin’…the winds are colder up there, Myka, the air is thinner. Ye ‘ave to work ‘arder to simply breathe, and that makes ye awake t’th’fact ye are still breathin’. It makes you feel so alive, Myka, and Mahal forgive me, I forgot about my brothers. All I wanted to do was fly forever. It wasn’t until the Eagles set us down on that rock that I remembered them falling.

“This ship…this ship is my chance to fly again. That’s why I said yes, those, wot, three years ago now, wivvout even a thought. I just wanted to fly.

“It cannot fail. I can’t have it fail. It has to fly or nuffin’. But if it doesn’t, heh. I suppose I won’t ‘ave to worry much about tryin’ again.”

“I’m worried though,” she said, pulling him close. Nori wrapped his arm around her waist.

“But you have a responsibility,” Myka suddenly grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked, wriggling backwards and sending them both tumbling out of bed.

“You made a promise,” she jerked him upright and whipped his overcoat around him from where it had been draped over the back of a chair.

“And you will keep it, Nori, Hero of Erebor.”

He stood in the middle of her bedroom, bootless and slack-jawed, belt hanging off his shoulder. Myka glared at him mercilessly.

“If you do not put your boots on, get home, and prepare for your impossible feat, you are not the dwarf I know y’to be, and that would be very disappointing indeed. I will not waste my time with someone who will go back on their word just because they’re worried their dreams may not come true, Hero or not.

“Nori, Pathfinder of Thorin’s Fourteen, Spymaster of the Mountain, Lord and Hero of Erebor, you will go out there and you will make that ship fly.”

Under her ferocious gaze, Nori shrugged his arms into his overcoat, did up his belt, and jammed his feet back into his boots.

Without another word, the pair left the bedroom and made for the front door.

As Nori crossed the threshold, he was surprised when Myka’s hand grabbed his collar and she dragged him back in for a kiss. Myka bit his lip slightly as she pulled away, and he was left slightly dazed and breathless, gazing at her with one foot in and one foot out of her doorway.

“Now go succeed at impossible things. You’re good at that.”

He caught a glimpse of her smile before her door shut in his face.

With some semblance of his customary grin and confidence to his step back, he set out for his apartments to prepare for the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeeah, so she and Nori kind of have a thing going on? It's not exactly a traditional relationship though, because he's always running off the Mountain on spymaster-type duties, and she's got a busy life running the shop and going out looking for materials and keeping in touch with her extensive family back in the Grey Mountains, so they just sort of meet up when they can. More on their actual relationship once I, ya know, get around to posting her stuff :P


End file.
